6 ·So [Therefore] let us ·go on to grown-up teaching [^Lmove forward to maturity/completeness]. Let us ·not go back over [^Lleave behind] the ·beginning [rudimentary; elementary] ·lessons [teaching; ^Lword] we learned about ·Christ [or the Messiah; 5:5]. We should not again ·start teaching [^Llay a foundation] about ·turning away [repentance] from ·those acts that lead to death [or useless works; ^Ldead works] and about faith in God. ² We should not return to the teaching about baptisms [^Ceither Christian baptism or Jewish ceremonial washings], about laying on of hands [^Ca ritual of blessing and/or conferring of authority], about the raising of the dead and eternal judgment [^Cthese may be Jewish practices or foundational Christian teaching]. ³ And we will ·go on to grown-up teaching [^Ldo this] if God allows.

⁴ For it is impossible to ·bring back again to a changed life [^Lrenew again to repentance] those who were once ·in God’s light [enlightened], and ·enjoyed [experienced; ^Ltasted] ·heaven’s gift [or the heavenly gift; ^Cperhaps the gift of salvation], and ·shared in [partook of] the Holy Spirit. ⁵ They ·found out [^Ltasted] how good God’s word is, and ·they received [^Ltasted] the ·powers [miracles] of ·his new world [the coming age/world]. ⁶ If they have ·fallen away [committed apostasy], it is impossible to ·bring them back to a changed life again [^Lrenew them again to repentance], because they are nailing the Son of God to a cross again and are ·shaming him in front of others [making a public disgrace/exhibition of him].

⁷ ·Some people are like land that gets plenty of rain and [^LLand that drinks in the abundance of rain] produces a ·good [useful] crop for those who ·work [farm] it. That land receives God’s blessings. ⁸ ·Other people are like land that [^LBut if it…] grows thorns and ·weeds [thistles] and is worthless. It is about to be cursed by God and ·will be destroyed by fire [^Lits end/fate is burning].

⁹ ·Dear friends [Loved ones; ^TBeloved], we are saying this to you, but we ·really expect [are convinced/confident of] better things from you that ·will lead to [or accompany; come with] your salvation. ¹⁰ [For] God is ·fair [^Lnot unjust]; he will not forget the work you did and the love you showed ·for him [^Lin his name] by ·helping [serving] his ·people [holy people; ^Tsaints]. And he will remember that you are still ·helping [serving] them. ¹¹ We ·want [desire for] each of you to ·go on with the same hard work [demonstrate the same zeal/diligence] ·all your lives [^Luntil the end] ·so you will surely get what you hope for [or until your hope is fulfilled/attained]. ¹² We do not want you to become ·lazy [sluggish; ^Cin contrast to diligent; v. 11]. Be ·like [^Limitators of] those who through faith and ·patience [endurance] will ·receive [inherit] what God has promised.

¹³ [^LFor] God made a promise to Abraham. And as there is no one greater than God, he ·used himself [vowed by his own name; ^Lswore by himself] when he swore to Abraham, ¹⁴ saying, “I will ·surely [or greatly] bless you and ·give you many [greatly multiply your] descendants [Gen. 22:17].” ¹⁵ Abraham ·waited patiently for this to happen [persevered], and he received what God promised.

¹⁶ [^LFor] People always ·use the name of [^Lswear by] someone greater than themselves when they swear. The oath ·proves [is confirmation] that what they say is true, and this ·ends all arguing [or settles the dispute; ^Can oath by a higher authority is taken as a legal guarantee]. ¹⁷ God wanted to ·make very clear [demonstrate convincingly] to ·those who would get what he promised [^Lthe heirs of the promise] that his ·purposes [or plans] never change, so he ·made [^Lconfirmed/guaranteed it with] an oath. ¹⁸ These two things cannot change: God cannot lie when he makes a promise, and he cannot lie when he makes an oath. These things greatly encourage us, who ·came [^Lhave fled] to God for safety, to hold on to the hope ·we have been given [^Lset before us]. ¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for ·the soul [our lives], ·sure [stable; secure] and ·strong [reliable; unshifting]. It enters behind the curtain in the ·Most Holy Place in heaven [^Linner place/sanctuary], ²⁰ where Jesus has gone ·ahead of us [^Las a forerunner] ·and for us [on our behalf]. He has become the high priest forever, a priest like Melchizedek [Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:6, 10; 7:1–17].